What is a Website Builder?

What is a Website Builder?

For those who came in late, website builder is software to create a website online.It is designed specifically for website creation. It is interesting to know that its significance in modern business has become more than essential. Whether you aspire to start a business or wish to move your existing traditional business brand online, it is imperative to seek the assistance of a website developer or builder. The developers of websites are basically digital creative artistes, so to say. With a variety of options available, a developer’s expertise can be requisitioned according to your needs that fit your business type and to determine how your website will look finally in sync with your business.

The software gets embedded on a web server at a hosting company or could even be a guest on the platform of hosted software as a service. More precisely and simply put, you do not use your PC to hold software and build the website; on the contrary, you will get the website built online by designing software specifically for website creation keeping your needs in mind.

Picking a Website Builder – What to Consider:-

• Custom Domain & Branding: – To stand out in the online bazaar your website needs a unique domain which is nothing but your business address.Simply put, it is the postal address to locate your house. You have to bear in mind a few important points such as the domain or URL (uniform resource identifier) is pertinent to your business, memorable and exceptional. You also have to ensure that your website builder has built an exclusive domain/URL for you and not exploit by using an extension of his domain/URL.

• Content Ownership:- It is necessary that you own your content. Although it may appear to be a simple proposition, but some platforms to control your data. This is similar to your profile on Facebook which Facebook gains full control of your profile page. Why it is necessary to have control of your website? A website is your window into the world of business, it is therefore necessary that the control and ownership of the content you add is held by you.

• Available Design Templates:- The modern customers are not only trendy but also very choosy. They are very finicky about everything they do; even the websites they browse will appeal to them if styled well in terms of ambience and dynamic presentation with products displayed in order. When you are going to come across such fussy customers visiting your website it will be in the fitness of things that your website offers beautiful templates that are not only modern in appearance but functions well. Some sites hastily coded by developers without the help of a graphic artist would look primitive and customers will not take a second look. Ask your builder to supply you the best trending templates to try out and not any hackneyed type that will result in driving away your customers.

• Functionality, Options:- Deliberate the purpose of the website before buying it. Ponder over the necessity of the different functionality of eCommerce, like podcast support, video integration, and forum management or even lead generation.Selecting a platform that supports your current and future needs is to be ascertained before assigning the job to the web builder. Some software options like WordPress.org allow you to add plugins and extensions. Make sure your website developer support most of the required functionality for your business and even has the provision to include later as your business grows.

• Ease of Use:- Websites are living documents and must be kept fresh and alive! For this they have to function easily in the sense, the visitor must find it easy to use. A professional website builder will make provision to add and edit content as easy as working in a Word file. Review your preferred builder’s content options and ensure that it provides tools that are comfortable to you. Provide WYSIWYG style editor. WYSIWYG stands for ‘what you see is what you get’.

• Lead Generation Opportunities:- A good website is bound to generate positive results in other words the website is capable of generating leads. Thanks to the ability of the software to edit, add or customize intake forms rapidly.

• Customization Availability:- It is always better to review the software option on your website so that you have the provision to edit the design and layout as mandated by your business. However, in several cases, the off-the-shelf,or existing stock Templates won’t be a perfect fit for your website; for that matter any website. It is advisable to have it customized. It pays!

• Multimedia Support:- We live in a digital world; so to say a dynamic world of multimedia. Video, written content, audio files and moving images appeal to everyone. A high quality software package per se offers all of these features and also allows adding such files and images from time to time.

• Search Engine Optimization:- To fetch search traffic footfalls, you need to have some good quality SEO that catapults your website to a high level of ranking. As a result, search traffic begins to flow. To get value for your money, ensure your software with robust SEO features to enable you to allow extensions for add ons element. This is generally available as part of the core software.Alternatively, you should be able to construct SEO friendly URLs, headers, meta descriptions, meta titles, appropriate robot text title options, XML Sitemaps, ALT text and all the other vital elements.

• Mobile Responsiveness:- Mobile devices have revolutionized the concept of digital world, particularly the ability for voice based search on the move. Not all website builders will do this with proficiency, so check out your preferred software on your phone before you start building one. More searches are happening on mobile devices than on desktop computers in recent times. In keeping with the trend and taking cue from this development, Google is toying with the idea of switching to a mobile first index.

• Speed & Performance:- In this fast and rapid world of the internet, your website has to be tough and also score in speed. Speed in terms of loading fast.

• Cost:- Generally, the cost of website builders and hosted software varies according to the structure and options for upgrading. It would be ideal if you check and understand your full cost structure by looking at all the options carefully. The “free” builders are not really free when you consider the fact that you have to upgrade to have the essential features like an exceptional domain.

• Technical Support:- Backup technical support is very essential. You can’t afford to have down time with your website. After all it is software and software can get fussy. Check out the software or the hosting company’s technical support options and ensure availability when you need.

• Analytics & Visitor Tracking:- As a rule of thumb do not accept any software that lacks the Google Analytics code option. Data is an integral part of marketing pertinent to the website; and particularly a quality website builder will allow you to add Google Analytics code to your website. Remember, Google analytics is free and we advocate that it should be used by every website owner.

• Import & Export Options:- Upgrading your website software from time to time as per marketing trend is the need of the hour. As in relationships where it ebbs and flow, similarly in website software hosting, the same principle applies. So you have to ensure your builder has an integrated option in the website software to export your content if needed.